Fervent Yet Vexing: The Boss by Melanie Moreland

The Gist: A dark romantic suspense novel that boasts a sweet romance yet proves vexing with its double standards.

Series: Men of Hidden Justice, #1*

Release Date: October 14, 2021

Format: eARC

Rating: 3-stars

*Each book in the series is Standalone

Note: I received The Boss from Melanie Moreland’s team in exchange for an honest review.

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The Boss is the first in Melanie Moreland’s new Men of Hidden Justice series. It follows Evie and Matteo after an unfortunate run-in. Evie is hiding from a stalker and abusive ex-boyfriend, and Matteo just so happens to be exacting permanent justice on some corrupt members of his organization. To ensure Evie can’t be a witness against him, he marries her (also because of insta-lust/love, you know).

The Boss is a new genre for Melanie, with a darker plot, tackling the insidious criminal underbelly of human trafficking. Considering how much I enjoy Melanie’s sweet romances, I couldn’t wait to experience how such a romance fits within a much darker world.

A New Genre for Moreland

I really enjoyed The Boss‘s darker romantic suspense plot. The opening chapter was compelling and immediately drew me into the story. I also thought the setup between the two main characters, Evie and Matteo, was well done. While they were opposites, they complimented each other and became each other’s refuge in a very dark moment in their lives.

The subplot concerning Matteo’s work—his job, who he works with, and who he reports to—created an intriguing world. I’m eagerly waiting to return to the Men of Hidden Justice series, especially now that “The Commander” will have his own book (to be released in February 2022).

Despite The Boss being set up as a romantic suspense novel, I appreciated its focus, centring on Evie and Matteo’s marriage as they slowly became attuned to each other. There was a steep learning curve, as Matteo wasn’t used to considering anyone’s feelings. This leads me to why the book wasn’t 4 stars, let alone 5 stars.

Why Not 5-stars?

My 3-star rating reflects my discontent with Matteo’s treatment of Evie. Hypocrites, double standards and paternalistic, sanctimonious Heroes always get on my nerves (I have a Goodreads bookshelf dedicated to them to remind myself which Heroes angered me to tears). Matteo’s disregard for Evie’s feelings affected my rating to such a degree partly because Evie never stood up for herself. Evie constantly apologized, making herself smaller to ensure Matteo was satisfied.

In Conclusion

I really liked the darker plot, which contrasted with the sweeter romance. Considering the opposing emotions they evoked, such contrast emphasized the tenderness between Evie and Matteo and the darkness Matteo was struggling with in his work. I also appreciated the subplot in The Boss that confronted the mental toll such a role would have on Matteo as team leader.

However, I couldn’t get over Matteo’s treatment of Evie, which was riddled with double standards. Despite my frustration with this aspect of Matteo and Evie’s relationship, I’m eagerly looking forward to the second book in the series, Second-in-Command, which releases November 11th!

Buy The Boss

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